Show Me Your Teeth
by cupcakemolotov
Summary: Life was all about choices. Flipping her switch let the predator out, and Caroline knows it won't go back easy. Getting Bonnie out of MF was one thing, but New Orleans?
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, I'm eating," Bonnie snapped after she'd swallowed two large, angry bites. "Talk, Forbes. Why the hell am I sitting on the hood of your car, eating take-out in random ass North Carolina? We're supposed to be shopping in Richmond!"

Caroline ate a fry, considered her. "I went on a date with Stefan."

"Yes, I remember. The whole we're just friends rambling that happened in my ear for a hour," Bonnie grumped around her burger. "I thought the whole friends-date was an attempt for you to figure your shit out."

"Damon was there," Caroline murmured, brows tucked together. How to explain? "And look, I know you and Damon are friends, but..."

"But what?" Bonnie demanded, eyes wary.

"I don't trust him," Caroline said bluntly. "I've been stupid, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm not losing you again."

"Caroline, have you _lost your mind_? You think what, that Damon would kill me so he could get Elena back?"

"Yes."

Bonnie reared back, staring at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"And I believe it enough, that I have a suitcase with your clothes in my trunk, as well as your favorite grimoires." Caroline stared at her with hard eyes. "And don't give me that look. When has either of our lives measured up to Elena?"

"Do you think she'd forgive him?" Bonnie spluttered, expression rattled.

"Eventually, yes." Caroline sighed and tossed the rest of her fries to the birds, appetite gone. "And maybe it wouldn't be murder. He isn't subtle, but Stefan is and all it would take is a little encouragement to help you decide that extending your life wasn't in your cards. And accidents happen all the time."

"Maybe I want kids, maybe I want peace and quiet after everything that happened lately."

"Uh huh, sure," Caroline arched one eyebrow. "Then why haven't you tried to re-enroll in school? A vampire BFF would be very helpful in getting through the red tape."

"I can't believe you're actually thinking about this."

"Enzo agrees with me," Caroline shrugged at Bonnie's flat look. "Okay, fine, no I didn't tell him. But when I asked him to keep the brothers occupied so awe could have a girl's day, his face says he knew something was up."

"Are you sure this isn't some attempt to, I don't know, avoid Stefan?" Bonnie questioned, eyes narrowing.

"My life does not revolve around Stefan Salvatore, and it never will." Caroline said firmly, eyes sliding shut in an attempt to calm her temper. "He'd sell us both out for Elena, Bonnie. And I'm never going to be second best again."

Silence grew for a long moment before Bonnie broke it, her shoulders tight. "So what is the plan, oh abductor of friends?"

Caroline ignored her sarcasm. "So, the way I see it, we have two options. We can spend the rest of your life - however long or short you want it - skipping around the world. I'd suggest we head to Dallas, Damon would assume New York as a launching point. You use your witchy powers to keep us off the radar and we'll be smart."

Bonnie's wrapper fell from her nerveless fingers. "What?"

"I'd suggest somewhere warm, but not mainstream. Belise?"

Still staring at her, Bonnie swallowed hard. "Option two?"

Caroline set her phone down, let Bonnie see the open contact page. "Option two is New Orleans."

"Are you insane?" Bonnie demanded. "No. What's the third option?"

"That's it," Caroline said with a shrug. "Those are our options."

"Option Three, we go home," Bonnie suggested, wadding her hamburger wrapper. "Pretend this never happened."

"You might be willing to gamble with your life, Bonnie Bennett, but I'm not," Caroline shot back. "I'm not mourning you for a third time, not for at least a century. So put on your freaking big-girl panties on and let's deal with this."

Bonnie stared at her, brows drawn tightly together. "You think Klaus Mikaelson will what? Keep me safe?"

"Yes," Caroline admitted, dragging a hand through her bangs. "And so do you."

"The sex with Klaus went to your head."

Caroline caught Bonnie's gaze, held it. "Do you know what I finally figured out? I'm important. Me. Do you know what it took for me to claw that realization out of my life? My mom died and I wasn't there. I wasn't there, Bonnie."

"Care..."

"Elena, Stefan, Damon... I wanted a year. Just one." Caroline looked away, shuddered out a breath. "And I didn't get it."

"Klaus won't give you that," Bonnie warned, voice low.

"But he'll give you a lifetime," Caroline whispered, swallowing hard. "I don't regret flipping my switch."

"You killed people," Bonnie said bluntly. She held up her hand, stopping Caroline's response. "The Caroline I know would never okay with that."

"Which Caroline was that Bonnie? Human-Caroline, who died under a pillow? Caroline-the-vampire who killed twelve witches to protect you even as she clung desperately to her humanity? Caroline-who-fucked-Klaus, who flipped her switch and ate people, who toyed with her friends like they were puppets on her marionette strings? Which Caroline do you see when you look at me?"

"Stop it," Bonnie said fiercely. "We all make mistakes, we were kids and we still are."

Eyes dark, veins shimmering under her eyes, Caroline laughed. "Do you feel like a kid, Bonnie? Because I feel like dying twice, being trapped in a prison world and having all your choices taken away by the people you love, that means you get to freaking live."

Bonnie's chin wobbled and she visibly controlled herself. "Why Klaus? Why New Orleans?"

"Because New Orleans isn't just vampires," Caroline said softly. "There are witches too. I don't know what the situation in the city is right now, Tyler might know, but we don't talk. But you being able to learn magic - about magic - that isn't about Elena or the Salvatores might be good for you."

"You do realize Klaus will want it to be about him instead."

"Yeah, I don't think we can avoid that entirely, but I'll curb it where I can."

"Can you?" Bonnie asked flatly. "Can you really?"

Caroline drew her knees to her chest, hugged herself as she watched the cars go by. "I haven't had a blood bag in two weeks."

"What?"

"Flipping a switch isn't... I wasn't emotionless, not really. It's like having your safety catch turned off. You become the predator," Caroline sighed. "That doesn't just go back into the box."

"I don't understand," Bonnie murmured.

"When I saw Stefan talking to Damon... maybe I'm being paranoid, but I won't let anyone cage us. The only expectations I care about are ours. And Bonnie, playing someone, using someone the way I used Stefan, it can be intimate." Caroline shrugged uncomfortably, tightened her grip on her calves. "It is intimate. I wasn't just using him likes chesspiece, maneuvering a faceless person. I dug into his skin, I played on his fears and if I'd had longer than a few days, I could have destroyed him. And I know they're plotting something."

"This is what you don't regret?" Bonnie asked softly.

"I regret that I hurt him. I regret the people who died, but I can't regret what I learned about myself."

"Which is what?"

"I'm a monster, Bonnie," Caroline turned, met her dark eyes. "The predator under my skin isn't going to be boxed up forever, isn't going to let me live in my comfortable little world. I need to learn to live with that."

"You think Klaus will help with that?"

Caroline laughed. "Oh God, no. When has Klaus ever let me be? He's going to push. He'll prod at all my uncomfortable spots. He might be willing to wait until I say yes, but that ass will stack the deck in his favor."

"And you think he'll protect us?"

"Yes and no," Caroline murmured. She watched her friend, tried to find the words. This wasn't completely about protection, because being near Klaus was both safety and danger, but Caroline had stopped letting other people keep her safe when her mom died. Safety was a concept she'd found for herself. The predator under her skin was stretching, settling into her bones and she'd stopped fighting that so hard. But while Bonnie was fierce, a creature of magic and sacrifice, she wasn't vicious.

New Orleans was a chance for Bonnie to learn what it meant to be part of a community. Not the lone witch surrounded by vampires. She just hoped the recent silence meant the worst of the bloodshed was over, because slipping Klaus would be far more difficult than losing the Salvatore brothers in Mystic Falls.

Caroline knew down to her bones that Klays would see the changes in her the moment he saw her. Predators knew like, and weaker, younger she might be, but she'd never been prey. And the last year had taught her some hard lessons.

"Honestly, Bonnie? I want to live. I want to be happy. Damon and Stefan, in the end they're a small threat. I could give you list after list of why I've broken everything down into two options, but my reasons aren't important. What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Bonnie repeated. She stared at Caroline for a long moment. "I... I don't know."

"Okay," Caroline nodded. "Then let's fling ourselves into the world until you figure it out."

Bonnie opened her mouth, closed it. Stared at her. "You mean that?"

"Of course," Caroline shrugged. "New Orleans is an option, not the option. It's important to me that you have choices. I wasn't sure if you'd want people or space."

"And if I say, Russia?"

"I'd say it's cold there in the winter, but Russian is as good a place to start learning languages as any other."

Bonnie sat there for a long time, considering. Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded. "New Orleans."

Caroline started, staring at her. "Are you sure?"

"No," Bonnie admitted. "But you're not wrong that I need to find myself, figure out what's important to me. And if I learned anything from Kai, it was that there is a wealth of magic I don't know about. I... I think I'd like to make friends with other witches."

"We're going to get dragged into a shit storm of vampire politics," Caroline warned. "Klaus isn't going to play nice, not anymore."

"With me or you?" Bonnie asked. She gave Caroline a slow smile. "And as for the rest, how scary can it be when we have each other?"

"Right," Caroline muttered. "Nothing like your informative years spent fighting Originals, escaping Prison Worlds and killing the oldest immortal, to prepare you for college. We are going to college, right? I can get us into Tulane, and it's best we avoid depending on Klaus as much as possible."

Bonnie's eyes danced. "We're doomed, aren't we?"

"Might as well go out with a bang," Caroline grinned, picking up her phone. She stared at it before sliding off the car. "That conversation can wait. So, Bon Bon, you're the co-pilot on this jaunt. Where to?"

"Not a straight shot?" Bonnie jumped off the car and arched both brows. "Enzo can only distract for so long."

"Please, this is our first road trip. Let's make it interesting." Caroline shook her head. "You and me and the open road. We're not letting anyone determine what we want any longer, okay?"

Bonnie gave her a knowing look, but followed her back into the car. "Hey Care?"

"Yeah?

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Caroline murmured. Then she smiled, letting her worries go, just for a moment. "Let's go be awesome."


	2. Chapter 2

"Are we seriously going to eat our way to New Orleans?" Bonnie groaned, sliding down the booth.

"Shhhh," Caroline complained, forehead pressed against the cold surface of the table. "I hate you and your fried chicken challenge."

"I have to live vicariously through your stomach, and your totally unfair ability to avoid weight gain. _Vampires_."

"Shut up," she said, cradling her stomach. "I can't eat anymore. I can't."

"That's okay," Bonnie consoled her. "You finished it. Do you want pie?"

"You're a horrible person, Bonnie Bennett. Do they have cherry?"

Bonnie's grinned at her as Caroline lifted her head. "I'll split the apple with you."

"Deal."

Bonnie folded her arms, watched her with amused eyes. "We're five hours from New Orleans."

"So google maps tells me."

"When are you going to call him?"

"I thought I'd text him a picture of the Welcome to New Orleans sign," Caroline told her. "Ask if he has a hotel recommendation."

"Are you _serious_?"

"Why not?" Caroline arched both brows and huffed. "It's not like he's expecting us."

"So let's say we take our chicken and pie stuffed selves down to NOLA, and you know, do the cheesy picture pose I know you really want."

"Okay, yes, but it's for the photo albums, not Klaus."

"I, personally, would like a good night's sleep. In a bed, maybe after a bath. Probably after a bath. If we do the picture thing, it increases the odds of being infested by a certain Hybrid. If we let him do his paranoid, crazy thing before we show up, then I can probably avoid him altogether."

"Are you tossing me under the bus?"

"Yup."

Caroline sighed and sank back. "Why are _you_ suddenly a voice of reason?"

"Stockholm Syndrome," Bonnie smiled at her. "Be glad I'm straight. Call him. If it goes badly, we'll aim for Russia."

Caroline rolled her eyes and tried not to look nervous as she dialed the number she had for emergencies. She'd originally snarled that the apocalypse wouldn't tempt her and he'd kissed her chin with such a charming smile.

" _Not everything has to be about someone else, love. Call me if you need me."_

The heat in his tone had done all sorts of interesting things to her insides. Well, this wasn't a booty call. And Bonnie was worth it. Probably. She chewed on her lip as the line rang, oddly nervous.

"What?"

"Rude," Caroline chastised as she speared a bit of pie, narrowing her eyes at Bonnie. The greedy-gut had shoved in half the damn pie in her mouth with that first bite. "Here I thought you might have learned manners. Let's try again. Say, 'hello, Caroline.'"

An unexpected silence and then his voice nearly purred down the line. "Hello, Caroline. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Her toes did not curl and she did not blush. Clearing her throat, she gave herself a moment to thwack Bonnie's hand away from the pie. "Better. And Hi! How's New Orleans treating you?"

"The last few weeks have been nearly peaceful. I've hardly had to eat anyone," Klaus replied, tone still a caress across the phone. "And you, love?"

Triumphant, she hoisted her fork and grinned. "Great. Seeing some sights, relocating. So you have any hotel recommendations? Google hasn't been extra helpful and I'm on a budget."

There was a pause, the sound of glass being set onto wood. "Where are you exactly, Caroline?"

"Google says about five hours from New Orleans, but I bet I can make it in four." She snorted when Bonnie started shaking her head. "Maybe three, if Bonnie doesn't stop eating all the freaking pie."

There was silence, but it was one filled with things she wasn't sure she could put into words. The predator under her skin crawled, and when Klaus spoke again it was tantalizing. A warm honeyed trap, edged with the faintest touch of danger.

"You're more than welcome to stay with me, sweetheart. There is more than enough room for you and the Bennett witch."

Caroline shivered at his tone. She had a very distinct set of memories of that voice. Soft, commanding words when his cock filled her, the predator's edge as his tongue branded anything it wanted. It didn't take a genius to realize how fast she'd end up underneath him and begging, if she didn't put down some very specific ground rules.

"That's sweet, but I'd hate to impose, and the last rumor was that you were enjoying the trappings of fatherhood. Vampire hearing plus a baby doesn't mean much sleep for me. So no. It's a hotel suggestion or nothing, Klaus."

"Your gossip is a few months behind, sweetheart," the seduction in his voice had eased off a little, and she shoved her captured forkful into her mouth. Even the sugar filled fruit couldn't completely erase the other, lingering craving in her blood.

"If you ate the baby, I don't think we can be friends anymore," Caroline warned around her mouthful.

Laughter filtered through the phone and Bonnie arched both brows in surprise. Caroline ignored her. Hey, she was funny.

Maybe not about this though.

"I'll text you a confirmation number and hotel address," Klaus broke her glaring match with Bonnie.

"Hotel suggestion does _not_ equal booking said accommodations."

"There are a couple of conferences in town, love. If you're on a budget, you might have trouble with last minute reservations. I'm delighted to assist. If you insist, you can allow me to take you to brunch where you can explain the real reason for this little visit."

"I just told you," Caroline replied. "But yes, I'll allow brunch with the understanding that you do not rent a freaking Presidential Suite and I get beignets. Also, no creepy minions, Klaus."

"The minions are non negotiable. You should plan on hitting the road soon. Regardless of driving speed, you've got a bit of a trip ahead of you."

"Yeah, uh huh, I think I'll eat more pie first." She bit her lip, rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

She hung up before he could respond and scowled when Bonnie pushed the last of the pie at her. "That was not how I expected that to go."

"Please, you're doing a sweep of the room as soon as we arrive. You know he's going to have done something creepy," Caroline said firmly.

"How much sex did you two have, exactly? I don't have the freaky hearing thing, but I know that blush."

Caroline pointed her fork. "The last time I even hinted at details you drank half a bottle of tequila and declared any and all Klaus-related orgasms as red flags. I think you might have even declared another mention of it as grounds for breaking up with me."

Bonnie pursed her lips. "Drunk me had a point."

"But to answer you question, seeing as you ate more than your half of the pie, I don't know. I sort of lost track of the exact number of times..."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. "I might puke."

"Party foul," Caroline sing-songed. "Which means I get to pick the music."

"On second thought, I'll suffer through the nausea." Bonnie heaved a long suffering sigh. "Well, we should probably get going."

"Yup. Want more pie?"

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	3. Chapter 3

FOR HELEN and her beautiful, ridiculous spamming of covers. They are so beautiful.

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Caroline glanced around the lobby, fingers plucking at the do-dads on her purse. Last night she'd been worn around the edges, not really interested in exploring the hotel that Klaus had chosen. Bonnie had been tense, that last hour. They had paused and snapped a hilariously grim selfie in front of the welcome sign, before making ridiculous faces into Caroline's phone. But now it was morning, and she had little excuse not to take in the hotel.

Drat the man, it was lovely.

It had been a struggle, to stay in bed. Caroline wanted to roam. Wanted to follow the strange, new sounds that she could hear from the city. Follow the laughter and the music, until Mystic Falls was the last place she thought of.

But she'd forced herself to stay in bed, to rest even if real sleep hadn't come easy. If she was completely honest, she hadn't slept well since her mom died. Flipping her switch, the ridiculousness with Stefan, her itching need to protect Bonnie... she knew vampires felt more than humans, but she'd been blindsided by the possessiveness. The grinding in her bones to keep what was _hers, safe._

Caroline needed to get herself under control.

This thing between her and Klaus were already complicated enough, _without_ wanting to sink her teeth in and mark him as hers. Heat licked her face, and flushed through her veins at that thought. Klaus wasn't hers. Klaus couldn't be hers. Not yet. Not anytime soon. Although she could admit privately that _never_ had somehow become a _maybe_.

Caroline shifted her weight and breathed deeply. They needed to have this talk, clear the air, and she needed to be very, very careful to avoid giving him an opening. Her emotions were a mess. Caroline _knew_ that. Maybe they would have been a much bigger mess, if she'd shut her emotions off for the year she wanted. Still, facing them just then Had seemed to be just a little bit too much.

Shaking off those thoughts, she checked her watch with an impatient little huff. She was going to make Klaus regret it if he was late.

"Good morning love, sleep well?"

Turning her head, Caroline absorbed the impact of him. Klaus hair was a little longer, curls riotous and tempting. Dimples flirted from his cheeks, his usual Henley and jeans fitting attractively along mean lines she now knew intimately.

Her predator under her skin liked what it saw, that glittering and openly possessive expression. The rest of her wasn't so sure, but she'd know this was going to be different. It was one thing to deal with him on what she considered her territory.

Here, the rules changed. New Orleans belonged to Klaus. It showed.

Her stomach fluttered with butterflies.

"The room is lovely, thank you," Caroline arched a brow. "How many people here are yours? I was so ever politely ignored when I tried to switch credit cards."

Klaus made an amused noise, stepped up so that he was close enough to touch, if she wished. "Take pity on them, Caroline. I've made my preferences where you're concerned quite clear."

"I won't be indebted to you." Caroline said firmly, shifting her purse and lifting her chin.

"There is no debt between us, Caroline," Klaus said simply. "What I want from you will not allow for it. You came to me. Don't balk now, when you knew what it would mean."

"I'm hungry," Caroline said instead of touching that particular topic. "You promised me food."

"So I did," he offered her the curve of his arm and Caroline wrestled with herself before taking it. "Do you have plans today?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, but when have you ever known me to not have plans?"

"Let me rephrase that," he glanced at her, lips curved in what could only be called affection. He waited till they'd stepped outside, the early morning sunshine filtering through the buildings and trees. "I'd like the opportunity to show you a few things, introduce you to a few individuals."

"Why?"

"You mentioned relocating."

"Yup." And wasn't that going to be a slippery slope. Bonnie was worth it.

"I received a very interesting call from Stefan this morning," Klaus said as he guided her down the street. "He was quite concerned about your well being."

"Stefan is a worrier," Caroline replied, not looking at him.

"Is he? Regardless, I let him know if he wished to keep his head, he'd wait to storm my city until you contacted him."

Caroline ground to a halt, stared at him with surprised eyes. Klaus watched her, eyes filled with iron. "Why?"

"Perhaps we should sit, before we start this conversation?" Klaus said instead of answering, steering her inside an establishment. He dimpled at the hostess, and made a beeline for a little side room that was obviously used for private dining.

"You better not be doing that creepy, stalker thing again," Caroline warned after the waiter left. She cradled her coffee between her hands, eyes wary.

"Did you think I'd be unaware of what was occurring in Mystic Falls or Whitmore?" Klaus challenged, watching her from glittering eyes.

"And what do you think you know?"

"Not nearly as much as I'd like," came his calm response. "Why are you here Caroline?"

She met his gaze head on. "I'm not here for you."

"I'd never have assumed," Klaus replied, lips curving at the edges. "Not yet, at least. But even with the events of the last year, I'd have hardly expected you here."

Not telling him wouldn't work. Klaus was letting her know he'd part or most of the puzzle. She fully expected he'd spent most of the last twelve hours hunting down whatever information he felt necessary. She'd bet the he didn't know of her new feeding habits, but she sincerely doubted he didn't sense how close her predator was to the surface.

"Okay, first - how many times do I have to tell you that stalking is creepy? God, is anything personal with you?"

"Everything is personal where you are concerned, Caroline." His mouth tightened as he leaned forward. She flinched, looked away. "As you're aware."

"My mom is off limits," Caroline told him, voce tight. She glanced back at him, didn't bother to hide the wild mix of emotions she knew was written across her face.

"Unless your mother is why you are here, I have no reason to reopen those wounds, Caroline. Not when we both know you'll tell me eventually." His face never changed, but his gaze devoured her, something sharp glittering behind his gaze.

"You're an _ass_."

Klaus shrugged. "Perhaps. But I believe we've agreed to be friends and far be it from me to not offer you a comforting shoulder."

"Really?" Caroline stared at him in disbelief. "How do you even know that phrase?"

"I do have a sister."

"No, we are not going there," Caroline shook her head. But she knew if she wanted to avoid that talk, she needed to have a different one. Which was probably his point. " _We're_ here because I don't trust Damon and Stefan near Bonnie."

"I assume this has to do with the doppelganger's newest predicament?"

"You know, I'd have assumed you'd have been too busy to pay this much attention to what was going on outside of your city." Her voice was snippy, eyes narrowed as he leaned back, seemingly amused by her attitude.

"Hmm, we both know that's not true," Klaus murmured, voice dropping to the low tones he'd used when she'd laid across his chest, catching her breath. Thankfully, the waiter reappeared with the plate of beignets she'd demanded the night before, so she was spared addressing _that_ particular landmine.

"And how's fatherhood treating you?" Caroline could have cursed, instead she took a bite, paused to enjoy the taste of dough and sugar. If her mouth was full maybe she'd avoid embarrassing herself.

Klaus grinned, and watched her with the air of someone who'd been given a gift. Caroline ate a second beignet irritably. That tiny note of possessiveness that had crawled into her tone had come from a place with teeth.

"I think you'll find the current circumstances quite different from what you're expecting, love."

"You have no idea what I'm expecting," Caroline replied firmly. She shook her head as he leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Is it safe here or do we need to keep moving?"

Klaus went predator still, eyes streaking with gold as he watched her. "Be very specific, Caroline."

Caroline pursed her lips, wrestled internally before sighing. "You're the one who brought up that were looking to settle. Bonnie likes roots. It's important to me that her life is as long or short as she wants it to be."

Blue eyes flecked with gold watched her intently. "Not surprising, considering your predilection for putting your friends first."

She rolled her eyes. " _Anyway_ , Tulane is a good school."

He didn't flicker a lash, gaze boring into her. "And four years from now? Then what?"

"That depends on Bonnie," she tilted her chin, met the predator watching her with her own. "And you. If you're planning on turning New Orleans back into a bloodbath, or if having a Bennett Witch around will be an issue, we'll be gone in an hour."

His smile had her heart skittering in her chest. Gaze holding hers, Klaus curled his fingers around her hand, and lifted the underside of her wrist to his mouth. His lips lingered, hot and possessive against her skin; teeth a faint pressure against her rapid pulse.

"Welcome to New Orleans, sweetheart," Klaus murmured, gaze holding hers. "I think you'll find my city quite accommodating for whatever you may need."

Mouth running dry, Caroline knew Klaus meant exactly what he said. She'd come to him, not for herself and not for him, but he'd lay the city at her feet anyway. Give her anything, everything she wanted.

The price? Her heart.

Eyes narrowed, she let the predator crawl into her gaze, and didn't flinch away from the tension between them. She wasn't ready to claim this, him, but she wasn't going to hide from it either. That had clearly gotten her nowhere. But he wasn't going to push her, either.

Not yet.

But maybe one day.

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